Annuloplasty systems and methods

Abstract

An exemplary method of performing an annuloplasty procedure includes introducing a catheter into a left atrium of a heart, deploying a first member from the catheter, anchoring the first member to a posterior side of a mitral valve annulus in the left atrium, deploying a second member from the catheter, anchoring the second member to an anterior side of the mitral valve annulus in the left atrium, deploying a flexible tensile member from the catheter, attaching the tensile member to both the first member and the second member and applying tension to the tensile member to draw the first member and the second member toward one another and bring the posterior side and the anterior side of the mitral valve annulus into closer approximation. Annuloplasty systems and components are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of performing an annuloplasty procedure, the method comprising:
 introducing a catheter into a left atrium of a heart; 
 deploying a first member from the catheter; 
 anchoring the first member to an anterior side of a mitral valve annulus in the left atrium; 
 deploying a second member from the catheter, the second member comprising a first tensile member attachment point and a second tensile member attachment point, wherein the second member includes a structure that maintains the first tensile member attachment point and the second tensile member attachment point in a laterally spaced apart configuration, wherein deploying the second member comprises maneuvering the first tensile member attachment point and the second tensile member attachment point into an anchoring position concurrently; 
 anchoring the second member to a posterior side of the mitral valve annulus in the left atrium; 
 connecting a first tensile member to both the first member and to the first tensile member attachment point of the second member; 
 applying tension to the first tensile member to draw the first member and the second member toward one another and bring the posterior side and the anterior side of the mitral valve annulus into closer approximation; 
 deploying a separate third member from the catheter; 
 anchoring the third member to an anterior side of the mitral valve annulus in the left atrium; 
 connecting a second tensile member to both the second tensile member attachment point of the second member and to the third member; and 
 applying tension to the second tensile member attached between the second member and the third member to bring the posterior side and the anterior side of the mitral valve annulus into closer approximation. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second member is deployed and anchored separately from the first member. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of anchoring the second member comprises attaching at least two separate anchors by screwing them into the annulus. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the third member is deployed and anchored separately from the first member and the second member. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first tensile member attached between the first member and the second member, and the second tensile member attached between the second member and the third member, are two separate tensile members. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein tension is applied independently to the two separate tensile members. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second tensile members are not attached to any of the first member, the second member or the third member until they are deployed from the catheter in vivo. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first member is anchored toward a lateral side of the mitral valve annulus and the third member is anchored toward a medial side of the mitral valve annulus. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first member has at least one anchor within proximity of a lateral trigon and the third member has at least one anchor within proximity of a medial trigon. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the steps of anchoring the first member and the third member comprises attaching at least two separate anchors by screwing the separate anchors into the annulus. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein a dimensional reduction of the mitral valve annulus in an anterior-posterior direction can be different on the lateral side and the medial side. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first tensile member is not attached to either the first member or the second member until it is being deployed from the catheter in vivo. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least the second member has the first tensile member pre-attached to its first tensile member attachment point prior to the second member being deployed from the catheter. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first member comprises an extended feature configured to engage the first tensile member. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second member comprises an extended feature configured as the first tensile member attachment point to engage the first tensile member. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of connecting the first tensile member comprises snaring the first member and the second member one at a time with the first tensile member. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second member has an elongated shape, and wherein the method further comprises rotating the elongated second member into the anchoring position before anchoring it to the posterior side of a mitral valve annulus. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first member has one or more than one lead attached. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second member has at least one lead attached. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second member and the third member each have at least one lead attached. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second member and the third member have the second tensile member pre-attached prior to being deployed from the catheter.